Admission valve mechanism for resonance combustion chambers



Sept. 9, 1952 R H, GQDDARD 2,610,064

ADMISSION VALVE MECHANISM FOR RESONANCE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS Filed Feb. l, 1947 1N V EN TOR.

QA. f/Twwy Patented Sept. 9, 1952 l 2,610,04` 'i Y ADMISSION VALVE MEOHANISM FOR REso- NANOE ooMBUs'rroN CHAMBERS Robert H. Goddard, deceased, late of Annapolis,

Md., by Esther C. Goddard, executrix, Worcester, Mass., assignor of `on`e-`-hall to The Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation,A New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York l Application February 1, 1947; Serial No. 725,867l

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to resonance combustion chambers as used in rocket apparatus of the general type shown in the prior patent to Robert H. Goddard, #1,980,266, issued November 13, 1934.

It is the general object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified valve mechanism for controlling the admission of air from the collector tubes to the combustion chambers in such resonance combustion apparatus.

Further features relate to reducing the number of movable parts in such valve mechanism, and to providing for cushioning the movable valve members and thereby preventing shock thereto.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in Which Fig. 1 is a partial sectional side elevation of resonance combustion apparatus embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation, taken along the line 2--2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of certain parts shown in Fig. l

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views of separate parts shown in Fig. 3 but in diiTerent Operative positions; and

Fig. 7 is a plan View of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, but partly in section along the line 'l-'l in Fig. 1. t

Referring to the drawings, resonance oombustion apparatus is shown comprising an air-collecting tube IB, a combustion chamber Il, and a discharge nozzle l2. A plurality of streamlined bars 2|! and 2l extend across the inner end of the air-collecting tube I0 and these bars are preferably made hollow and provided with openings 24 through which liquid fuel supplied through passages 25 may be sprayed into the air stream as it enters the combustion chamber Il.

Valve plates or shutters 3U are made of thin resilient sheet material and each is spirally coiled along one edge portion. Each such coiled edge portion is secured to a rod 3l mounted in a pocket 32 in the rear end portion of one of the cross bars 20. Preferably a pair of shutters 3E) is mounted on each cross-bar 2D, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The outer edge of each valve plate or shutter 30 is provided with a ange 35 which is normally seated in a groove or recess 36 extending lengthwise of a bar 31 which is slidably mounted within a cross bar 2| and which is yieldingly pressed outward by one or more springs 38. Each cross bar 31 is commonly provided with two grooves 3B as shown in Figs. 3 and 6 and seats two adjacent flanges 35. The plates 3D are so coiled that they normally assume the positions shown in Fig. 3. f

When the combustion chamber I I is exhausted, air from the collecting tube l0 opens the shutters 3l), and mixed air and fuel flows into the combustion chamber. As the charge is thereafter compressed by resonance, the plates or shutters 30 close rapidly against the air stream, in part from resilience and in part from the rising combustion chamber pressure.

When the shutters are thus moved to closed position, the edges 35 seat in the grooves 36 and the cross bar 31 yields to soften the abrupt contact and to relieve the shock on the plates or shutters 30. This relatively slight yielding of the cross bar 31 causes the Shutters to come to rest during a perceptible period instead of instantaneously, and thus prevents the sudden jar which would otherwise take place.

The shutters 30 are preferably slightly concave in cross section as indicated in Fig. 4 to better preserve their longitudinal alignment.

The outer shutters 30a are segmental as shown in Fig.'2 and engage plungers 4U (Figs. 3 and 5) which are longitudinally curved and which are seated in correspondingly curved slots 4| in segmental guide-bars 42 secured to the curved inner surface of the air-collecting tube ID. Springs 44 hold the bars 40 normally in the position shown in Fig/l but yieldably movable to the position shown in Fig. 3.

Having been thus described, the invention is not to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what is claimed is:

l. Valve structure for closing a passage comprising an elongated dual supporting member, oppositely-disposed sheet metal valve plates each resiliently secured along one longitudinal edge to said member and having an angularly-disposed flange along its free edge, additional elon gated supporting members fixed in parallel spaced relation at each side of said dual-supporting member, an elongated seating bar movably mounted in each vof said additional supporting members and each bar being engaged by theangularly-disposed iiange of one of said resiliently-mounted valve plates when said plate is in passage-closing position, said seating bar 3 being yieldingly movable when thus engaged by said flange, means being provided to resist such yielding movement of said bar, and said bar having a longitudinal groove to receive said flange and to thereby prevent relative transverse slipping thereof.

2. The combination in valve structure as set forth in claim 1, in which each Valve plate is` loosely and spirally coiled along the unflanged longitudinal edge thereof, and in which the ex# treme edge of said coiled portion is secured to a rod Which is fixed in a longitudinal pocket in the rear face of the associated supporting mem-.- ber, and said pocket loosely enclosing and protecting said coiled edge portion.

ESTHER C. GODDARD,

Robert H. Goddard, Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,599,414 Hui Sept. 14, 1926 1,743,731 Scott Jan. 14, 1930 10 1,980,266. Goddard Nov. 13, 1934 2,267,797 Martin Dec. 30, 1941 2,280,757. Smith Apr. 21, 1942 2,328,419 Brown Aug. 31, 1943 2,417,270 Rutishauser Mar. 11, 1947 v15 2,505,757 Dunbar et al. May 2, 1950 

